> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cryptonunsnft.gitbook.io/cryptonunsnft/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cryptonunsnft.gitbook.io/cryptonunsnft/chapter-six-mafias-holy-war.md). # Chapter Six: Mafia's Holy War “*After all is done and dusted, and you close your eyes in final sleep…What part of the deep would you see?”–Anonymous* \
They were lying prone behind a pile of containers overlooking the seaport Oberhafen. Winter was near, and Valda could already feel the cutting blades of a biting cold. She had tagged along despite warnings from Ursula. Valda believed her Dad was innocent, and was hell bent on proving that, as well as stopping one of the biggest tyrant in organized crime in Europe. Klaus Gunter. Ursula, on the other hand, preferred a solo mission since the possibility of casualties were high, but she yielded to Valda’s demands anyway. The plan was simple on a surface level, but the probability of death was high. Get in, get pictures of the defective medical devices, and leave an anonymous tip for Interpol to nail these bastards. Valda already had everything in place. She had her camera, a Cannon high resolution ultra, and she had made a call to an old friend of her father at Interpol. Someone she trusted because Hans Schneider trusted him. “You stay here, while I go in for a closer look.” Ursula said in a whisper. “No buts, you here me?” She added after seeing the frown on Valda’s face, and the mischief playing around in her green eyes. Ursula left, taking the gun, even the camera, and leaving Valda with nothing to defend herself with but a reverse bladed sword shaped like a grapple hook of some sorts. Valda waited in the cold for almost thirty minutes, then she started to feel uneasy. Something felt strangely out of place… On impulse, she reached for the sat phone she had tucked away in the left side pocket of her combat short…the same shorts Mother superior hated by the way. “Drop it.” A voice she knew too well said, the minute she pressed the distress button which immediately sent out a distress call to her father’s confident at Interpol. It also came with a tracking IME number. “Ursula?” Valda asked, skeptic. “What’s going on?” “Get up slowly, turn around, and toss me the sat phone.” Valda wasn’t stupid…Pained, she was…but not stupid. She knew there was no way they were going to let her go. And so her mind darted for a way out even as she turned to look Ursula in the face. Ursula, and two other men…One of them was Klaus Gunter. “Why?” Was all Valda could ask, cut to the heart. Ursula was her only friend and it hurt like hell. “Oh, that’s the easy part.” Ursula said, in an almost stoic manner. “Mr. Gunter here offered a better life than the Abbey. The hard part is, you just couldn’t keep yourself from meddling in affairs that don’t concern you…like your father.” Valda’s eyes widened in painful realization. “You knew? All this time, you knew.” Valda, despite her strong will, couldn’t hold back the tears that welled up in her eyes. “Enough of this.” Came the baritone voice of Klaus Gunter. “Shoot the girl, and let’s get out of here. There’s still work to do.” Valda just stood there, ready to embrace her fate, when a shot rang through the air, hitting Ursula on her right arm. Whoever it was, was either a bad shooter or wasn’t aiming to kill. “Fuck! Someone found us!” The other man with Gunter said as he pulled out a gun to shoot Valda. “Forget the girl, you fool!” Gunter yelled as another shot ripped through the flesh and bone of the other man’s gun hand. “Get to the merchandise! Now!” They both scurried towards the docked yacht. Valda didn’t wait to find out who the anonymous shooter was, as she quickly grabbed the camera and darted for the docked yacht too. Following them at a steady distance behind, Valda got her camera ready…Any moment now and she could be face to face with the defective medical devices…And face to face with death as well. “Move!!” Klaus barked orders at his men. They started to haul the merchandise back into the boat. In a few minutes they would be gone, and forced to reschedule a different drop off location. Valda needed to act fast. She needed a way to stall them at least till Interpol secured the perimeter. Then the thought hit her, and she ran forward with all the adrenaline that surged through her body, leaping off the edge of the dock, and taking a nosedive into the sea. The sea drowned the last of the voices that echoed from behind her as she swam deeper and deeper into its depth in search of its anchor. The moment she reached it, she entwined the curved part of her sword with the anchor’s chain, and pulled. She had already been under the sea a minute and could only hold her breathe for two minutes tops. After pulling for what felt like an eternity and feeling the yacht begin to sail above her, Valda began to feel the anchor give way under her. She kept pulling until she had its right grapple firmly latched around one of the heavy and thick wooden beams supporting the dock. The yacht tried to pull the anchor back up, but jerked violently to a halt the minute it maxed out the length of the chain. Valda was already swimming to the surface the moment she confirmed the beam would hold the anchor in place. Gasping for air at the surface, Valda could hear the shouts of commotion coming from above her. “That bitch!” Someone shouted, enraged at their current predicament. “What did she do!!” But it was too late, as the sounds of sirens blared through the night. Valda’s work was done here, and she swam her way towards the lower harbor of the seaport… •••••••• “This is the last straw! I can’t take it anymore. ” Petra’s voice boomed the moment Valda walked into the Abbey's main hall. But Valda wasn’t waiting to be accused, and so she said, “Have you seen the news?” “Of course I’ve seen the news! The question is how stupid are you, young lady? Answer me!!” “Ursula–“ “I know about Ursula.” Petra replied. “Detective Jones from Interpol called the moment he confirmed she was from the Abbey. The question he asked me was, what were you doing there? Imagine my surprise to think that I told you clearly not to leave this Abbey, and you botched my orders the first chance you get. Matter of fact, you know what? I’m done with you. You leave tonight. You’re ungrateful and a disappointment to your father.” “That’s enough!” A voice said from behind Valda. It had just occurred to her that she hadn’t seen who the Mother Superior was talking to when she entered the hall. “Petra. Leave us.” Petra was angry, but she knew better than to let her anger get the best of her when it came to her honor for the man seated in front of her to her right. “I’m sorry, your grace.” She bowed once and left without saying another word. “What’s your name, young lady?” He asked a moment after Petra left the hall. He was bald, and had a slightly oval shaped head. “Valda...Valda Schneider.” “I could tell from the eyes. You have your mother’s eyes.” “You knew my mother?” Valda asked, skeptical about the strange man sitting before her. “I knew both your parents actually. Hans and Mary Schneider.” “They married? I thought–“ “Yes, it’s forbidden for a priest of his standing to have marital relations. If you ask me, that was the beginning of your father’s spiral to his death. He started doing things his way…” the man paused, gauging Valda’s facial expression. “Your father wasn’t perfect, but he did what needed to be done. And I believe your birth, despite the circumstances, wasn’t a mistake. Which brings me to why I’m here.” Valda was speechless as if she was in a trance. “You have potential, Valda. I’ve observed from the shadows. My eyes and ears tell me everything. After today’s events, I believe you’re ready.” “Ready…for?” She asked slowly, mincing her words as if they would bite. “To rid the world’s economic system of all corrupt devices. Like you did today.” He then stood up to leave. “I’ll be waiting outside in ten minutes. If you’re willing. I’ll take you there.” “And where might ‘there’ be?” Valda asked out of curiosity. “I hear the Himalayas is freezing all year round.” He smiled, and got the message. “I never got your name, sir.” Valda said as the man opened the door to leave. “If I’m going that far, it’s the least you can tell me…please.” “Just call me the Bishop. I’ll see you around, Valda Schneider.” He said, then walked out and closed the door behind him, causing an eerie sound to ripple through the air….